Improved water-wheel



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N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHMGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT u @Erica JAMES PLATT, or UTIGA, NEW vonk.v

IMPROVED WATER-WH EEL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.-39,S33, dated September 8, 1863;

' October 25, 1862.

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, J AMES BLATT, of Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved WaterWh`eel; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part ot' this specification, in which* Figure l is a vertical central section of my invention, taken in the line m x, Fig. 2 5 Fig. 2, a horizontal section of the same, taken in the line y y, Fig. l Fig. 3, an inverted plan ofthe top of the case ofthe wheel.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to an improved horizontal waterwheel of that class which are fitted in a case provided with an abutment and which are provided with adjustable buckets.

rEhe invention consists in a peculiar arrangement ot' the buckets and the means employed for operating the same, to enable them to pass the abutment and be brought in proper posilion to be acted upon by the water as the latter passes'through the case.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents the case of the water-wheel, which is of annular form, consistingofan outer inclined side, a, and an inner vertical side, b, both of which are attached to a bottom plate, c. The two sides a b are concentric with each other, and the space d between them is the water-passage. 4 In this water-passage or space d there is placed an abutment, B, which has a radial position between the inductionopening e and eduction-openin g f of the case, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The water passes into the case through a flume, g, which is pro-V vided with 'a gate, C.

D is the wheel, which is formed of a circular plate, h, provided at its under side with an annular pendent-ange, t', said liange being concentric with the plate, and of such diameter that it will tit snugly withinl the upper part of the circular chamber j, formed by the inner side, I), of the case A. (See Fig. 1.) The edge ofthe plate h ts snugly within the upper part of the outer side, a., of the case A.

E is a vertical shaft, on which the plate h is antedated secured. The lower end of this shaft is tted in a proper step, k, as shown in Fig. l.

F is a circular plate, which forms the top of the case A. This plate is cast or formed with a circular recess or chamber, Z, above the plate hof the wheel, said chamber not extending over the water-passage cl.

To the under side of the plate h ofthe wh eel there are secured in suitable bearings two shafts, G Gr, which are inline with each other and the shaft E. These shafts are allowed to turn freely in their bearings, and to the outer end of each shaft there is attached a bucket, H, the form of which corresponds to that of a transverse section of the water-passage d, in which the buckets are fitted and move under the action of the water, the buckets being at the outer side of the ilange t'.

To the shafts G G there are permanently secured bent arms I I, the form of which Vis shown clearly in Fig. 1. Each shaft is provided with one of these arms, and to one end of each arm there is attached a friction-roller, J. (Shown in Figs. l and 2.)

To the bottom plate, c, of the case A, and within thechamber j,;formed by the inner side, b, of the case A, there is attached a stationary cam,J ,which is of annular form in its plan view, but has an elevation, a, at a point directly opposite the abutment B, said elevation having an inclined surface, o, at each side of it. An inclined plane, p, is also placed at each side of the abutment B.

To the under side of the top plate, F, of the case A, Within the chamber Z, there are secured two pendent projections, KK, which project down within the chamber directly over the path of rotation of the rollers J J of the arms I I.

The operation of the Wheel is as follows: When the gate C is raised, the water passes into the passage d and acts upon the buckets H, which, when in a proper working position, hang vertically down the back parts of the arms I-that is, the parts opposite to where the rollers J are attached bearing againstthe under side of plate h and serving as stops for the buckets. As the wheel D rotates each bucket H is raised as it approaches the abutment B, in consequence of the rollers J of the arms I coming in contact with theinclined surface o of the elevation n, of the stationary cam J l, the buckets passing up in recesses directly above them in the under side of the plate l1, so that they may pass over the abutment B. The projections K serve as upper bearings for the rollers J, and the one opposite the induction-opening e serves to force down the buckets as they pass the abutment, so that the water may act against them immediately. If gravity alone were depended upon for the buckets to assume a vertical position, they might stick in the recesses above them or not fall sutciently quick to be acted upon directly after passing the abutment. rlhe inclined planes p p, at each side of the abutment, serve as bearings for the lower edges of the buckets as they approach and leave the abutment. rlhe water is discharged from the Water-passage d through j' as each bucket arrives opposite f. (See arrows in Fig. 2.)

I would remark that any. Water that may iind its Way into chamber j may be discharged through a valve, r, at its bottom.

rlhis arrangement of the buckets H enables them to pass the abutment without any violent slamming, as is the case to a greater or less extent with al1 adjustable buckets that have passed under my observation. The buckets also, when acted upon by the water, are firm] y retained in position by the arms or stops I, and in consequence ot' the iiange z' of the plate It of the Wheel being fitted Within the upper part of the chamber j and the edge of said plate fitted within the outer side, ct, of the. case A, the shaft E is protected from lateral pressure.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isl l. The employment or use of the drop-buckets H, attached to the shafts G G, When used in connection with the annular water-passage d in the case A, provided with the abutment B, substantially as and for the purpose speci fir d.

The manner 'of operating the drop-buckets H as herein shown and described-to Wit, by means ofthe bent arms I, tted on the shafts G G of the buckets, and provided with rollers J at one end, and the stationary cani J', attached to the bottom c of the case A, and the projectionsK attached to the under side ot' the top plate, F, of the case A.

.i AMES' PLATT.

Witnesses JOHN R. TnuAN, E. J. STODDARD. 

